Badgers: Will Chris McIntosh be Barry Alvarez’s replacement as AD?

Barry Alvarez announced on Wednesday that Chris McIntosh has been promoted to Deputy Athletic Director. McIntosh was formerly the Associate Athletic Director for Business Development. He replaces Walter Dickey as the No. 2 person in athletic administration effective immediately.

“It is important for us to continue to evaluate ourselves and make adjustments and evolve where necessary,” Alvarez said in a release. “I am always looking to put people into positions and give them responsibilities that are in the best interests of the department. We are fortunate here to have a lot of staff who are very experienced and committed to seeing our student-athletes succeed on and off the fields of play.”

McIntosh played for the Badgers football team in the 1990s and was first-team all Big Ten in 1999. He started 50 games at left tackle. Following his time in Madison, he was drafted in the first round by Seattle in 2000. Following a recurring neck injury, McIntosh retired from the league in 2002. He has been working in the athletic department since 2014.

The announcement can be seen as foreshadowing to groom a possible replacement to current Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, who has served the position for 14 years. McIntosh will oversee compliance, government affairs and liaison for legal affairs. He will also serve as a co-liaison to the Big Ten Conference and UW Athletic Board.

Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus, McIntosh has been groomed to replace Alvarez as AD.

“McIntosh appears to have found a new calling, and sources say they won’t be surprised to see him eventually succeed Alvarez.

Alvarez, who turns 70 in December, is in his 12th year as athletic director and is under contract through the 2019-’20 academic year. He has not talked publicly about retirement, but clearly he believes McIntosh has a bright future.

When Alvarez traveled to Baltimore in February 2015 to meet with Under Armour officials about a potential partnership, McIntosh was part of the three-person delegation. That meeting eventually led to a 10-year agreement, which goes into effect July 1, that will be worth slightly more than $100 million.”

Only time will tell if McIntosh eventually succeeds Alvarez, but this is certainly a step in the right direction for McIntosh and Wisconsin’s future.